TJ Oshie tosses puck to imaginary fan in empty arena, refuses to change pregame routine

The NHL is back in action. Just like many fans might have routines before games, whether it is eating a specifik type or food or wearing the same shirt, the players do this as well.

Some players need to put on their skates in a specific order, others need the one kind of handshake with a certain teammate. For TJ Oshie, that routine takes place on the ice before puck drop.

TJ Oshie

The Capitals have their own handshakes and stuff like it in the tunnel before entering the ice. When they get there, players such as Jakub Vrana danced and others just fully focused on getting the pucks on net.

TJ Oshie’s had his own puck-juggling routine at the ice for plenty of years.

“I flip up a puck up to to my trainer. We do this three times. I’ll flip it up to him and skate away. He’ll toss it to me like a frisbee,” Oshie explained in an interview with Sportsnet in 2017. “I try to catch it on my stick and juggle it across the night. I’ll catch it on my blade and find a fan in the crowd and toss it up to them and continue on with warmup. ”

Right, so it always ends with his tossing a puck to a lucky fan in the stands. But since there aren’t any fans around today, what could Oshie do instead?

TJ Oshie

It’s not a good idea changing a routine if you’re superstitious. And Oshie decided to go all in even though the arena was empty, throwing a puck to an imaginary fan.

Even though it’s a special season with an empty arena. The stars of the NHL still brings their a-game. Never change, TJ!

https://twitter.com/NBCSWashington/status/1288563782629941261?s=20

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